You don’t need a real estate background to thrive in coworking—but you do need to understand people, process, and patience. Lee Linton, owner of two Office Evolution locations outside Austin, shares how he used his background in telecom and data to build strong community-centered businesses.

Lee walks us through the realities of building out two locations, hiring (and marrying) his community manager, and learning to let go of the details so he could focus on being the visionary leader his team needed.

In this episode, we cover:

• How Lee chose coworking as his next move after decades in corporate leadership and entrepreneurship.

• The biggest lesson he learned after expanding too quickly—and what he’d do differently now.

• Why a front desk person isn’t just a nice-to-have—and how to train them to deliver on brand promise.

• The power of mystery shopping your competitors (and what he discovered when he did).

• How Lee and his wife approach the business as a team—and what they’ve learned about drawing boundaries.

Whether you’re a first-time operator or managing multiple locations, Lee brings relatable insight and thoughtful takeaways that’ll resonate with anyone building in this space.

Resources Mentioned in this Podcast:

Lee on LinkedIn

Office Evolution website

Connect with your Hosts:

Connect with Giovanni on LinkedIn

Connect with Jamie on LinkedIn

Find Jamie on the Everything Coworking Podcast

In honor of the GCUC Conference happening this week in Boston, we're doing a re-run on episode 5 with Sarah Travers, CEO at Workbar, with over 10 locations in the greater Boston area.

In this episode, Sarah shares how she became an “accidental CEO,” why her team is building slow on purpose, and what it means to grow with confidence in a market that’s not chasing the latest trends.

We talk about:

• Why growing in Northern Ireland requires a unique approach to community and demand

• The strategic decision not to chase rapid expansion—and why that made the business stronger

• How Workplus designs its spaces to reflect each local market

• The cultural and operational differences between Belfast and Derry—and how the Workplus team adapts accordingly

• Why Sarah isn’t looking to London for her next playbook

Resources Mentioned in this Podcast:

Sarah Travers on LI

Workbar

Connect with your Hosts:

Connect with Giovanni on LinkedIn

Connect with Jamie on LinkedIn

Find Jamie on the Everything Coworking Podcast

What happens when a banker walks away from finance and into the world of coworking? Jon Lambert did just that—turning an old bank (yes, with an actual vault!) into a thriving coworking community. His story is packed with insights on transitioning from corporate life to entrepreneurship, building a space with character, and creating a model that works.

In this episode, we cover:

• How Jon made the leap from banking to coworking (and why he never looked back).

• The unique challenges—and opportunities—of transforming a bank into a flex space.

• The strategy behind building a strong community in a non-traditional location.

• What’s working (and what’s not) in Jon’s coworking model today.

• Key takeaways for anyone thinking about launching or evolving a coworking space.

If you’re dreaming of starting your own space or looking for fresh ideas, this episode is packed with real-world insights.

Resources Mentioned in this Podcast:

Jon on LinkedIn

The Cannon website

Connect with your Hosts:

Connect with Giovanni on LinkedIn

Connect with Jamie on LinkedIn

Find Jamie on the Everything Coworking Podcast